The invention relates to assays and more particularly to screening biological samples for a variety of targets.
For example, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a powerful molecular technique that allows one to amplify a particular segment of DNA. This technique has been applied to many areas of molecular diagnostics, including the identification of unknown organisms. While PCR traditionally only allowed amplification of a single target, multiplexing allows amplification of several targets in a single reaction mix. Real-time PCR multiplex assays have been commonly employed to screen biological samples for a variety of targets, such as pathogenic bacteria, with considerable research focusing on differentiating potential targets using multicolored fluorophores. What is needed is a simpler method for identifying targets, using only one reporter, and with minimal reagents and supplies.